Psychology Commons^™

Mindfulness And Engagement In Covid-19 Preventive Behavior, Ilana Haliwa, Jerin Lee, Natalie J. Shook

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic represents a significant risk to population health. Health organizations worldwide have recommended numerous preventive health behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19. Yet, considerable variability exists in individual-level adherence to these recommendations. Mindfulness has been associated with greater engagement in health promotive behavior (e.g., physical activity, healthy eating), and may serve as an individual difference factor that encourages adherence. However, no study to date has examined the extent to which mindfulness is associated with preventive health behaviors during a global pandemic. The purpose of the present study was to assess the relations between …

A Framework For Understanding The Role Of Psychological Processes In Disease Development, Maintenance, And Treatment: The 3p-Disease Model, Casey D. Wright, Alaina Tiani, Amber Lynn Billingsley, Shari Alaina Steinman, Kevin T. Larkin, Daniel W. Mcneil

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Health psychology is multidisciplinary, with researchers, practitioners, and policy makers finding themselves needing at least some level of competency in a variety of areas from psychology to physiology, public health, and others. Given this multidisciplinary ontology, prior attempts have been made to establish a framework for understanding the role of biological, psychological, and socio-environmental constructs in disease development, maintenance, and treatment. Other models, however, do not explain how factors may interact and develop over time. The aim here was to apply and adapt the 3P model, originally developed and used in the treatment of insomnia, to couch the biopsychosocial model …

West Virginia State Employees’ Preferences For Worksite Wellness Programming, Peter Kadushin, Sam Zizzi, Nidia Henderson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objectives: To investigate the wellness programming preferences of state employees in West Virginia.

Study Design: A survey-based, descriptive analysis of employees’ preferences

Methods: State employees (n = 18,791) of West Virginia were given a38-item wellness survey. Items assessed employees’ interest in programming, methods for receiving wellness information, and incentives for participation.Descriptive statistics were run to provide a summary of state employees’ preferences.

Results: The survey response rate was 40%. Respondents showed interest in physical activity (81.0%), nutrition (77.6%) and stress management programming (61.1%). A personalized webpage was the highest rated method of receiving wellness information and a discount on insurance …

Changes In Weight Loss, Health Behaviors, And Intentions Among 400 Participants Who Dropped Out From An Insurance-Sponsored, Community-Based Weight Management Program, Sam Zizzi, Jana Lima Fogaca, Tammy Sheehy, Myia Welsh, Christiaan Abildso

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The majority of weight management research is based on data from randomized controlled studies conducted in clinical settings. As these findings are translated into community-based settings, additional research is needed to understand patterns of lifestyle change and dropout. The purpose of this study was to examine reasons for and consequences associated with dropout (or removal) from an insurance-funded weight management program. Using a mixed methods approach with objectively measured changes in body weight and attendance along with quantitative and qualitative survey data, patterns of intention and behavior change were explored. The results from a sample of 400 respondents support the …

Athletic Trainers' Skills In Identifying And Managing Athletes Experiencing Psychological Distress, Marc L. Cormier, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Context

Athletic trainers (ATs) commonly use psychological skills during sport rehabilitation. However, little is known about their ability to accurately implement these skills. Objective

To assess ATs' skills in identifying psychological symptoms, selecting appropriate strategies, and making referral decisions for athletes experiencing various degrees of psychological distress. Design

Cross-sectional study. Setting

Participants were recruited using the National Athletic Trainers' Association professional member database. Patients or Other Participants

Of the 2998 ATs who were selected randomly, 494 (16.5%) partially completed the questionnaire and 326 (10.9%) completed the entire survey (mean age = 34.7 ± 10.8 years, mean years of experience = …

Predictors Of Weight Loss Maintenance Following An Insurance-Sponsored Weight Management Program, Christiaan Abildso, Olivier Schmid, Megan Byrd, Sam Zizzi, Alessandro Quartiroli, Sean J. Fitzpatrick

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Intentional weight loss among overweight and obese adults (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m²) is associated with numerous health benefits, but weight loss maintenance (WLM) following participation in weight management programming has proven to be elusive. Many individuals attempting to lose weight join formal programs, especially women, but these programs vary widely in focus, as do postprogram weight regain results. We surveyed 2,106 former participants in a community-based, insurance-sponsored weight management program in the United States to identify the pre, during, and post-intervention behavioral and psychosocial factors that lead to successful WLM. Of 835 survey respondents (39.6% response …

A Tailored Wellness Intervention For College Students Using Internet-Based Technology: A Pilot Study, Alessandro Quartiroli, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to develop and pilot a theory-based, computer-tailored feedback system for healthy behaviors for college students at a large, public university, aiming to enhance student wellness. A total of 1300 college students were contacted. Sixty–two students completed the eight week intervention. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups and received the survey three times, consistently receiving normative or personalized feedback. The participating sample was generally healthy and mainly comprised of freshman, Caucasian, and normal weight individuals. Repeated-measure ANOVAs were run and small significant interactions were found between the type of feedback received and some …

Psychosocial Variables And Time To Injury Onset: A Hurdle Regression Analysis Model, Jeremy Sibold, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Context:

Psychological variables have been shown to be related to athletic injury and time missed from participation in sport. We are unaware of any empirical examination of the influence of psychological variables on time to onset of injury. Objective:

To examine the influence of orthopaedic and psychosocial variables on time to injury in college athletes. Patients or Other Participants:

One hundred seventy-seven (men  =  116, women  =  61; age  =  19.45 ± 1.39 years) National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s):

Hurdle regression analysis (HRA) was used to determine the influence of predictor variables on days to …

A Mixed-Method Evaluation Of A College Student Fitness Program Using The Re-Aim Framework, Michelle L. Bartlett, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: The consistently rising obesity rate in college student population illustrates the need for organized and effective interventions. The purposes of this study were to evaluate an eight-week fitness program implemented at university student recreation center using mixed-methods along the reach, effectiveness, and implementation dimensions of the RE-AIM framework for evaluating health-promotion programs and to illustrate how qualitative data can be used to enhance the capabilities of the RE-AIM framework to evaluate such programs via providing recommendations to improve the intervention not possible with just a quantitative RE-AIM evaluation. Methods: Quantitative (participation rate, changes in % body fat, and resting …

Evaluating An Insurance-Sponsored Weight Management Program With The Re-Aim Model, West Virginia, 2004-2008, Christiaan Abildso, Sam Zizzi, Bill Reger-Nash

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Introduction: Evaluations of weight management programs in real-world settings are lacking. The RE-AIM model (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) was developed to address this deficiency. Our primary objective was to evaluate a 12-week insurance-sponsored weight management intervention by using the RE-AIM model, including short-term and long-term individual outcomes and setting-level implementation factors. Our secondary objective was to critique the RE-AIM model and its revised calculation methods.

Methods: We created operational definitions for components of the 5 RE-AIM indices and used standardized effect size values from various statistical procedures to measure multiple components or outcomes within each index. We used chi(2) …

Empowering Youth Through Research: Adolescents’ Perceptions Of Physical Activity Interventions In Appalachian Communities, Sam Zizzi, James Rye, Elizabeth Vitullo, Nancy O'Hara-Tompkins

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Active participation in evaluation and research projects can empower youth and effect community change. Adolescents along with supervising teachers participating in after-school Health Sciences and Technology Academy clubs conducted research projects to increase physical activity in Appalachian communities. The sample involved 50 adolescents who participated across one of six focus groups. Two primary themes emerged from the focus groups, indicating the impact of the research experiences on students, teachers, and their communities. First, students reported increased public health and research competence as well as feelings of self-worth. Second, the participants reported developing a stronger sense of the barriers to and …

College Students' Attitude Towards The Utilization Of The Sport Recreation Center (Src), Mohd Sofian Omar-Fauzee, Aminuddin Yusof, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The primary aim of this paper is to examine the reasons for using or not using the student recreational center (SRC) among a frequent users and non-users. The second purpose is to use the research findings in order to make same recommendations for attracting stronger patronage amongst student users. Two groups of college students that were identified by user and non-user were invited to attend a separate focus group discussion. A user group consisted of six students (5 male, 1 female) with a mean age of 20.33 (Sd=.82), and the non-user group consisted of eight students (6 male, 2 female) …

Factors Influencing Track And Swimming Coaches’ Intentions To Use Sport Psychology Services, Rebecca Zakrajsek, Sam Zizzi

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This study is the first attempt at developing an instrument measuring coaches’ attitudes toward sport psychology modified from Martin, Kellmann, Lavallee, and Page’s (2002) Sport Psychology Attitudes-Revised (SPA-R) form. The Sport Psychology Attitude-Revised Coaches (SPA-RC) form was developed and examined through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) procedures. In addition, an exploratory model of service use was fashioned through regression analyses to help understand coaches’ intended use of sport psychology services. Coaches (n = 374) were surveyed regarding attitude, previous exposure, expectations of the consultation process, and intentions to use sport psychology services. EFA with the SPA-RC revealed a 3-factor solution (stigma …

The Interaction Of Goal Orientation And Stage Of Change On Exercise Behavior In College Students, Sam Zizzi, Linda A. Keeler, Jack C. Watson

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the reliability and validity of the Perceptions of Success Questionnaire for Exercise (POSQ-E), and to link goal orientations to self-reported physical activity patterns and perceptions. The final sample consisted of 569 recreation center participants who utilized the facility 3.77 days a week (SD = 1.94) and were active for an average of 70.18 minutes (SD = 33.3) per session. Sixty-three percent of respondents (n = 358) self-reported meeting adult guidelines for regular exercise (150 minutes per week). Using a single-item ladder, participants were assigned across the five stages of exercise …

Engaging Rural Youth In Physical Activity Promotion Research In An After-School Setting, Nancy O’Hara Tompkins, James A. Rye, Sam Zizzi, Elizabeth Vitullo

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

West Virginia, the second most rural state in the nation, has a higher than average prevalence of chronic diseases, especially those related to physical inactivity and obesity. Innovative educational approaches are needed to increase physical activity among adults and youth in rural areas and reduce rural health disparities. This paper describes West Virginia's Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) Education and Outreach on Healthy Weight and Physical Activity. The project involved teachers and underserved high school students in social science research aimed at increasing physical activity among student and community participants.

Context

The HSTA is an ongoing initiative of …

Use Of A Community Trail Among New And Habitual Exercisers: Apreliminary Assessment, Paul M. Gordon, Sam Zizzi, Jeff Pauline

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Introduction

We evaluated physical activity patterns and trail use among new and habitually active exercisers using onsite trail interviews.

Methods

Using a cross-sectional study design, 414 adults who accessed two new trails that bisect a rural community of 26,809 residents were interviewed during the first summer of the trails' official operation (2001). The trails comprise 12 miles of level and paved surface and run parallel to adjacent water sheds, businesses, and neighborhoods. Recent trail activity patterns were obtained, including the following: frequency of use, mode of activity, duration, distance traveled on trail, access points, time of day used, use of …

Impact Of A Brief Workshop On Stages Of Change Profiles In Athletes, Sam Zizzi, Frank M. Perna

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

This report examines the impact of a psychoeducational workshop on athletes’ stages of change for use of mental skills training. Fourteen teams participated in a sport psychology workshop including seven women’s teams (n = 124) and seven men’s teams (n = 96). Teams were assessed on decisional balance (pros and cons) and stages of change variables before and after the workshop. As hypothesized, athletes reported significantly higher pros and contemplation scores after the workshop, with corresponding decreases in cons and precontemplation scores. Moderate effect sizes (.35 - .68) supported a positive impact of the workshop on athletes’ perceptions of mental …